Knowledge of HPV and HPV vaccine among senior secondary school students in Nigeria: Implications on cancer prevention strategies, the CHANCE Study

Abstract

INTRODUCTION Human papillomavirus (HPV) is one of the major causes of head and neck cancer (HNC). The incidence rate of newly diagnosed HPV-induced HNC cancer is on the rise, year-by-year; this is a problem of public health concern. This study aims to determine the prevalence and predictors of knowledge of senior secondary (high) school students in Nigeria on HPV and HPV vaccines. METHODS This study was a cross-sectional survey of 2530 high school students from six states in Nigeria using a selfadministered structured questionnaire. Data collected were analyzed using the SPSS version 25 software. RESULTS The mean (±SD) age of the respondents was 16.4 (±2.0) years, 56.0% were male and 34.9% were from the Yoruba ethnic group. Only 23.0% and 18.3% of the respondents were aware of HPV and HPV vaccine, respectively. The majority (78.2%) of those who were aware of HPV had below-average knowledge score about HPV. Those respondents: in the highest class in high school (AOR=1.36; CI=1.00-1.84; p=0.048); attending girls-only schools (AOR=2.86; CI: 1.93-4.24; p<0.001); and schooling in Bauchi state (AOR=2.56; CI: 1.47-4.51; p=0.001) were most likely to be aware of HPV compared to those in the other categories. However, those: attending girls-only (AOR=2.80; CI: 1.84-4.27; p<0.001); schooling in Bauchi state (AOR=2.87; CI: 1.55-5.33; p=0.001); and belonging to the Hausa tribe (AOR=2.41; CI: 1.51-3.85; p<0.001) were most likely to be aware to HPV vaccine than those in other categories. CONCLUSIONS The level of knowledge of HPV and HPV vaccine among high school students in Nigeria is very poor. There is a need for health education programs on HPV and HPV vaccines in Nigerian secondary schools.

Knowledge and attitude about human papillomavirus vaccine among female high school students at Jimma town, Ethiopia

“… 22 , 23 However, this finding is relatively higher than that in a study conducted in Nigeria, South Africa and India where respondents who had good knowledge about HPV vaccine accounted 18.3%, 44% and 2.1%, respectively. 14 , 24 , 25 …”

Head and Neck Cancer Literacy in Nigeria: A systematic Review of the Literature

“…The included articles studied a diverse Nigerian population groups totaling 7,883 people. Two articles surveyed smokers (age range: 15 -64 years) [51,55], 2 surveyed dental patients (age of majority: 18 -64 years) [46,49], one surveyed traditional healers and herbalists (age range: 37 -72 years) [43], 6 surveyed secondary school students (age of majority: <18 years) [53,54,56,61,63], 1 surveyed school teachers (mean (±SD) age: 48.7 (± 5.94) years) [45], 5 surveyed tertiary school students (age of majority: 15 -30 years) [48,52,58,59,60,62], 1 surveyed youth (age of majority (91%): 12 -24 years) [57], and 3 surveyed health workers (age: >18 years) [44,47,50] (Table 6).…”

“…those that were aware of HNC). Furthermore, 39.7% (27/68) of them were found to erroneously believe that HNC is a contagious disease while 16.2% (11/68) were found to erroneously believe that early diagnosis of HNC does not improve recovery from HNC c) Only 12.9% of the surveyed respondents had ever received education on HNC self-examination Kanmodi et al, 2019 [59] a) The mean (±SD) age of the surveyed monotechnic freshmen was 22.04 (±3.42) years b) Only 29.0% of the respondents have heard of HPV, of which the majority (72.3%) of them believed that HPV can cause HNC Oluwole et al, 2019 [60] a) The age of all the surveyed female polytechnic undergraduates ranges from 17 to 25 years, and their mean (±SD) age was 21.3 (±2.0) years b) Only 6.3% of the respondents knew that HPV can cause OC Fagbule et al, 2020 [61] a) The age of the majority (93.7%) of the surveyed senior secondary (high) school students ranged from 10 to 19 years with mean (±SD) age of 16.4 (±2.0) years b) Only 23.0% (583/2530) of the survey respondents were aware of HPV (HPV is an etiological factor of HNC). Among this category of respondents, only 48.9% (285/583) of them knew that HPV causes HNC Kanmodi et al, 2020 [62] a) The majority (96.7%) of the surveyed university students (in medical laboratory science disciplines) were within the age range of 15 to 29 years b) Only 45.3% (68/150) of the respondents were aware of HPV (HPV is an etiological factor of HNC).…”

“…In the study by Lawal & Fagbule[56], only 0.1% (2/1465) of their survey respondents knew that tobacco can cause OC. However, in the study by Fagbule et al[61], only 23.0% (583/2530) of the survey respondents were aware of HPV (HPV is an etiological factor of HNC), of which only 48.9% (285/583) of them knew that HPV can cause HNC.…”

“…Among this category of respondents, only 20.6% knew that HPV causes HNC.In the study conducted by Oluwole et al[60] on female undergraduates in a Nigerian polytechnic, only 6.3% of the participants knew that HPV can cause OC Among Secondary School Students: Only two survey articles (cross-sectional studies) examined the knowledge of HNC/OC risk factors among secondary school students in Nigeria. These studies were conducted by Lawal & Fagbule[56], and Fagbule et al[61]. In the study by Lawal & Fagbule[56], only 0.1% (2/1465) of their survey respondents knew that tobacco can cause OC.…”